A New Dawn
by Zeef
Summary: It's the dawn of a new phase in Armin's life, and there are decisions to be made. When it comes down to it, what's more important: your life, or the lives of those you love?


Hey, Everyone! Yet another new fandom story, sorry, but I've been having Armin feels and this story needed to be written. I might write other one-shots about new beginnings and freedom and stuff with Armin as the main character again because I have the inspiration, but we'll see. The song 'Feeling Good' was a big inspiration for this story, as well as the title.

I don't own 'Attack on Titan', so there's a disclaimer.

"It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life, and I'm feeling good"

* * *

He stared up at the huge, smiling face as it slowly reached out to grab him. He tried to turn and run but he couldn't. He couldn't escape the horrifying Titan that would be his end. His eyes were wide and fearful as he remained motionless in the beast's grasp. Just as he opened his mouth to scream-

Armin sat up in bed with a loud gasp. He blinked a few times, clearing the image of the Titan from his mind, once he realized that the only danger he was in was whatever his fellow trainees did to him if he woke them up. Taking a deep breath, he layed back down and tried get a little more sleep in before they had to wake up, but to no avail. Once he decided he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep, he snuck outside to watch the sun rise.

The morning air was refreshingly brisk as he stepped outside. It was late spring now, and the snow and flower buds of the earlier months had disappeared, leading the recruits to anticipate the warm summer ahead. The sky cast a purple/blue glow over the land, and the little bit of fog left over from the night had yet to evaporate, making anyone who looked out at the early morning feel anxious.

Armin, still a bit shaken up because of his dream, sighed and sat down with his back against the cabin. He knew everything was going to be changing soon. He knew that graduation was coming up soon, and that his life would be changing drastically yet again. He'd long since come to realize that his life was liquid, constantly changing, and that the change would only stop with his death. It started when his parents died, leaving him with his grandfather, then it changed again when the Titans broke down the wall. When his grandfather died, his life was drastically altered yet again, leaving him with no one but Mikasa and Eren, and then when the three of them joined the military, nothing was the same. Now he was going to move on again, and this time, his decisions would definitely affect the length of his life.

Armin knew he wasn't going to be in the top ten. He just wasn't physically strong, not like the others were. He also knew that Eren was going to join the Survey Corps, and that Mikasa would follow him there no matter what. That meant that either he'd be alone in the Garrison, or he'd join the Survey Corps with them, and probably die before the year ended. His choices were possibly living a long, fairly safe life with the chance of having a family one day, or probably living a short life, but one that might help change the course of human history.

When it came down to it, Armin was smart, very smart. He was smart enough to know what his friend's self-destructive tendencies and recklessness would lead him and Mikasa to their deaths, and he was smart enough to know that even if Eren took a few Titans down with him, he would still probably die before the year was over too. But it would mean something. Eren would go out saving people, that was something Armin was sure of. Mikasa would probably die in the same fight Eren did, trying to save the boy she loves. When that happened, when the two of them died, Armin would be truly alone for the first time in his life. He'd have lost everyone he ever cared about, and no matter how safe he was, and no matter how long he lived, he would always wonder if he could have saved them, or anyone, if he was there. Even if he died, he would have saved someone else, and that was worth dying for, right?

Right?

With that dark train of thought, Armin sighed again and pulled his knees up to his chest before looking up at the sky. It was getting lighter out as the sun rose higher. Soon everyone would be up, and another busy day of training would begin. It was just another day he had to work as hard as he could just to stay there, and he realized, while he was sitting there watching the sunrise, that that's all life is. You had to fight as hard as you could to survive, and if you didn't, you'd be eaten alive by the monsters, whether those monsters were in your head or on the other side of the wall.

Armin recognized for the first time that there weren't really any choices, and that there wasn't actually a decision to be made. He'd always known what he was going to do with his life, even before his parents died, before the Titans got in, before his grandfather was sent to die. If it meant dying young, then it meant dying young, but he had never seriously thought about doing anything else with his life, other than doing everything in his power to help humanity and the people he loved. He'd always known what he was meant to do with his life, it just took him a while to realize it.

There was a scuffle at the door and a drowsy Eren sat down beside him, just as the sun made it way over the treetops, covering the area with a golden light.

"Good morning," Eren yawn.

"Yeah, I think it is," Armin replied.

Eren have him a look that said, 'Dude, it's way too early to be philosophical' before turning to look at the sky too. Armin smiled, the peaceful morning putting him at ease.

Yes, a new period of his life was dawning, but as long as he had his friends, he swore to himself that he would be brave enough to face it head on.

* * *

So there's that. Please tell me if you want me to write any more. Writing this kind of gave me a few more 'Attack on Titan' one-shots or possible story ideas, but I don't know if I'll write them. Anyway, please review, favorite, and/or follow!


End file.
